A local construction company is at the moment carrying out sea defence concrete work at Turkeyen East Coast Demerara (ECD), an area which is usually flooded during high tides.
Work at the area near to the University of Guyana and the public road junction, began some two weeks ago and is being done at a cost of approximately $176 million.
According to an official of M&B Construction Company, the company carrying out the work, the 60-metre long solid infrastructure should be completed within a week’s time. The area, according to the official, is usually flooded during spring tides and as such the company is tasked with building a six-metre high wall along the 60-metre stretch.
The work includes construction of a solid concrete wall and removal of granite stones which once stood there as part of rip-rap work done in the past. The official said that while water may be able to overtop the seawall beyond the area where work is currently being undertaken, there are plans to dig a four-foot drain a few feet from the seawall along the shoulders of the road extending to Ogle.
There is one such drain close to the area, from Liliendaal heading east, but its extremity does not extend towards the area where work is being undertaken.
In last year’s budget, $3.1 billion was allocated for improvement and maintenance works within the Sea and River Defence sector. The administration noted that sector was expected to see the continued reconstruction, rehabilitation, restoration and maintenance of sea and river defence structures across several administrative regions, including regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and Ten.
In 2008, approximately $180 million was spent by the Ministry of Transport and Hydraulics to create a sturdy sea defence, between Turkeyen and Ogle and work was completed later that year.
At the time, rip rap sea defence work was undertaken in the area, along a stretch of some 1.1 kilometres. Acting Chief Sea and River Defence Officer Agnes Dalrymple had told this newspaper that when work was being done on the seawall several decades ago it was not completed.
The 2008 project included the construction of a rock slope and a rock crest.
